deFilharmonie . Brussels Jazz Orchestra . Daniele Callegari

It doesn't always have to be dusty classics. The trumpeter and jazz lion Bert Joris (b. 1957) has invited deFilharmonie (celebrating its fiftieth anniversary) and the Brussels Jazz Orchestra for a dizzying ride on his roller-coaster of sound. In addition to Joris' innovative and controversial 'Dangerous Liaison', the first ever performance of 'Between Hope and Despair', again for jazz and symphony orchestras, is also on the bill. Just as in the first composition - whose first performance was given by deFilharmonie and the BJO in 2003 - in this new piece too the two orchestras and musical styles are presented behind, alongside and above one another with seamless timing precision. This is high-level interaction between orchestra and big band and between soloist and improvisor, and not without risk. And this immediately explains the title of the first sparkling 'work for double orchestra'. But despite the warning label, 'Dangerous Liaison' is above all an emphatically melodic and lively work which starts from a main melody that is dribbled through a set of jazzy and classical movements. The title 'Between Hope and Despair' refers more to the state of mind of the composer, who finds himself faced with the difficult but not impossible task of at least matching the quality of his first work for double orchestra. Fasten your seatbelts!